The following section will provide case study information regarding social workers in action in public libraries. The section is meant to provide details about the policy in action in public libraries across the United States. These libraries have used a variety of funding types to support these services. Very often, the process begins with a community partnership followed by grant funding. Finally, as it becomes clear that the service is needed and expected by the community, the library will choose to fully fund a full-time licensed social worker who will administer a program that may also include student interns.
Baltimore: Baltimore is a densely populated urban area. The majority of the population is comprised of people of color and the median household income for the period 2018-2022 was $58,349 (U.S. Census, 2022). The unemployment rate for people of color was 14% in 2022. The wider Baltimore area is known to have significant differences in socioeconomic equality, violence, and services to support those in need. The significant economic depression and violence present a picture of a community in dire need of services meant to connect people with resources that can help their current situation while providing a springboard to a better life. We know that libraries long seen as safe spaces are uniquely positioned to step into the arena of support for their community.
EPFL:
The Enoch Pratt Free Library serves the Baltimore metro area with 22 branches located in all corners of the city. Its annual report reveals that it serves over 111,000 active cardholders (Pratt, 2023). The library began providing social services in the library by testing this service in a pilot program which was quite successful, serving over 600 people that year (Sass, 2024). This success provided the springboard to expand the program and fund a full-time social worker. From July 2022 to July 2023, they had just under 3000 patron engagements (this reflects the number of engagements with a social worker or social work student. Each engagement is considered unique, even if the patron has met with a social worker before. This number also included engagements made over the phone.) Enoch is expected to exceed that number this year, since from July 2023 to February 2024, they have already had nearly 2300 engagements (Sass, 2024).
Services provided at Enoch include (Enoch Pratt Free Library, 2024):
Referral to mental health resources
This public library has no funding for the social work interns it wants to hire. The library is using its fundraising arm The Downers Grove Public Library Foundation to raise funds to support its program to provide social work interns in the library through 2024 (DGPL, n.d). This association with the students of Aurora University has been very successful. From Oct. 2023 to Jan 2024, two student interns provided 130 direct interactions.
Highlights of the program thus far in 2024:
adapted from: https://www.dgplfoundation.org/social-work-program/
The New York Public Library partners with accredited social work colleges across the city to connect you with students who can help you access vital social services, including housing, short-term shelter, food security, healthcare, and more.
The Central Arkansas Library System provides community resources to address food insecurity and in-house social workers to connect to state and federal resources.
St. Louis County Public Library System social workers are available at five branches to provide free one-on-one advising and assistance to connect patrons with vital resources and referrals to service providers in the community.